Monday, February 23, 2009

Dustin Lance Black Get Your Religion Right

Last night while we were watching the Oscars off and on while taking care of the girls, I saw Dustin Lance Black, writer of Milk, accept his award for best original screenplay. During his acceptance speech, he said:

"...No matter what everyone tells you, God does love you..."

I was annoyed at his ignorance or purposeful misinformation. I'm guessing it was the former.

As a Christian, I've encountered such ignorance many times throughout my life. During junior high, when my good Jewish friend found out I went to church, he asked me if all Christians hate Jews. I was baffled. I explained that it wouldn't make sense because it's clear through the Bible that Jesus, Paul and others were Jews and Christians or Catholics held them in the highest esteem. If our savior and role models were Jews, why would any believer in our faith hate Jews? Sure if you're an idiot member of some fringe hate group or simply illiterate and can't read the Bible, then I could see how it was possible. My friend was happy to hear his misconception, which I learned to be more common than I believed, cleared up.

During my twenties, my good gay friend also had a misconception that Christians hated gays and lesbians. I agreed that there were backwater, ignorant Christians that spout hate against gays and lesbians, but I explained that mainstream Christians don't hate gays and lesbians. I continued to discuss how it's seen as a sin like any other sin from hate to pride to adultery, and a gay "sinner" isn't weighed more than a heterosexual "sinner." We are all sinners before God and all loved by God, so no person is better than any other. My friend appreciated the discussion though he didn't believe in the Bible or the concept of sin.

So where does Dustin Lance Black get this view of religion (probably Christianity) that its followers would say or hold such a belief that God doesn't love gay and lesbians? It's incorrect and false. God loves everyone period, even in the Christian faith.